Just wondering what you lot do to keep your chain running smoothly/rust free with the usual salt and grit on winter roads.
I didnt think there had been any gritters out yet, but my chain suddenly is showing signs of rust, and theres also rusty spots on my spds.
How often do you clean your chains on your commuter and what grease to apply afterwards?
On my mtb (used 3/4 times a week offroad all year round) I wash the bike and chain with water.
Then I just spray the chain with WD40.
I do not use any chain oil. I found chain oil just causes mud/grit to stick to the chain making a big mess.
Not using oil means the chain is very easy to clean, dosent attract mud anyway and just washing it with the hose and sometimes brushing it cleans it very fast.
Ive been doing this for the last four years, chain does not rust or squeek and lasts about 6 months of riding. Its a cheap £25 chain, so six months of thrashing my bike several times a week is fine by my standards.
When I did use chain oil the chain would get very dirty, then I had to take it off, soak it in Muc-off to clean it and then faf about. Not what you need after a winters night ride. Now washing the bike takes say 5 mins, the chain 2 mins. Job done.
I wipe down the chain on my mtb with an old rag and relube after each ride. I use one of the "self cleaning" lubes so don't get the horrible black build up. Something like rock n roll. Do the same on my commuter but not as often.
Surface rust isn't that much of a problem. You get it less on more expensive chains like the SRAM PC991 as they are coated in a protective alloy.
As both my bikes are ss and chains around £5 I just run one chain through winter and then put another one on once spring arrives.
If it is really salty try a wet cloth to get the salt off, dry cloth and re-lube.
As Trimix says, I find thicker lubes/oil causes the chain to build up a layer of gunk and need degreasing.
I tend to use GT85 or a Teflon based water displacer/lube; spray the chain & moving parts, wipe/brush clean and then reapply a layer of lube to the chain.
I use fairly inexpensive chains and replace them regularly.
I usualy wipe mine with a parafin/white spirit/petrol soaked rag to remove the worst of the gunk and dirty lube then re-lube liberaly with whatever is to hand (which is currently Pure wet lube). Wipe the excess off before it next goes in the car, then a quick wipe getting it out the car before hitting the trails.
The other trick I've found it to take lube with you, the chain stays far cleaner with a quick dribble of lube mid way through a muddy ride than trying to soak it before hand.
What lube specifically?
I run a Scottoiler.
Tap water to clean the bike and drive-train, if needed, and then spray with FS365 rust-inhibitor.